It is common to connect together fiber optic cables each of which includes a plurality of optical fibers. To this end it is known, for example, to use a separate connector for each pair of the fibers to be connected; optical continuity is provided by either butting the smooth ends of the cables to each other in the connector, or by securing them in a closely-spaced confronting configuration. When they are to be butted against each other, it is known to spring-bias one or both of the fiber ends toward the other to maintain the desired fixed physical contact. To prevent relative motion of the fiber ends due to excessive tension on, or vibration of, the fibers, it is also known to fix the fibers physically to the connector at one position, and then leave a certain amount of slack in each fiber between the point of such physical connection and the ends of the fiber.
It is desirable in many cases to provide a multi-fiber, generally-circular, plug-and-receptacle type of fiber-optic systems, broadly analogous in a practical sense to a circular multi-wire electrical connector, to provide easy and reliable connection and disconnection of optical fiber cables. It is known to provide such a connector system using direct butt-end contact of the fiber pairs to each other, in some cases with spring biasing of one against the other, but such known fiber-optic connector systems generally exhibit certain drawbacks with regard to such factors as simplicity of construction, assembly and disassembly, reliability, low-cost, and overall convenience and efficiency.
One difficulty often encountered in such connectors, for example, lies in the fact that when the terminal ends of the fibers are spring-mounted so they can move axially, and the fibers are held fixed at another point near where they enter the connector to protect the spring-biased terminal end against motion induced by tension or vibration in the external fiber-optic cable, then it is necessary for the fibers inside the connector to flex from a straight-line configuration through rather sharp angles as the terminal ends of the fibers move back and forth axially during normal use. If the spring-mounted fiber terminals are very close to the point at which the fiber is fixedly secured to the connector, it will be difficult for such a fiber to absorb the motion of the fiber terminal; however, if this distance is increased substantially, then the connector becomes undesirably longer. One aspect of the present invention mitigates this difficulty. Other drawbacks encountered in circular multi-fiber relate to the exact way in which the components are constructed and arranged, and the difficulties in manufacture, assembly, disassembly and use which typically arise from such constructions.